Week Four

It is hard to believe we are already heading into Week Four!

After power outages, heat days, changing kindergarten start dates, and figuring out new arrival and dismissal routines, I think we have officially proven that Vikings are pretty good at adjusting course when needed! Thankfully, things are beginning to settle into a rhythm around John Muir.

And honestly, that is one of my favorite parts of the beginning of a school year.

The hallways start to feel familiar. Students know where they are going. Teachers are learning the personalities behind the names on their class lists. Our youngest Vikings are becoming a little more confident each morning, and our older Vikings are stepping into their roles as the "big kids" in the building.

Now we get to move beyond simply learning the routines and really focus on learning, growing, building relationships, and making this Village ours.

As we move through September, one thing I hope we continue to remember is that every day matters. Every day a child walks through our doors is another opportunity to learn, connect with a friend, hear an encouraging word from an adult, overcome something difficult, or discover something new.

That's why our message of One Village. Every Viking. Every Day. means so much more than just a tagline. We want every student to know that they are an important part of this school community—and when they aren't here, we notice.

Thank you, families, for continuing to partner with us. Thank you for your patience when we make adjustments, for reinforcing our routines at home, for getting your Vikings to school each morning, and for trusting us with them each day.

We have a lot of school year ahead of us, and I am excited to see what we build together.

One Village. Every Viking. Every Day.

Mrs. Randolph
Principal, John Muir Elementary

Thank you, Viking families! We continue to see our dismissal time get shorter and smoother each day, and that does not happen without your support and cooperation. We appreciate everyone working together to help us move our students safely and efficiently at the end of the day.

As a reminder, please continue to follow our dismissal timeline and procedures. A few important car loop reminders:

• 🚙 Please remain in your vehicle while in the car loop.
• 🔢 Have your car number clearly displayed and visible to our staff.
• 👋 Encourage your Viking to be ready to enter the vehicle when you reach the pick-up area.
• 💺 If your child needs help getting buckled, please allow them to get into the vehicle and then pull forward and out of the active pick-up lane before assisting them. Buckling students while stopped in the pick-up lane holds up the entire line behind you.
• ❤️ Please continue to follow the direction of staff members working the loop. Our first priority will always be getting every Viking to the correct vehicle safely.

We know the line can still look a little intimidating when you first pull up—but it is moving! Each day we are shaving off a little more time, and your willingness to follow the procedures is a big reason why.

Thank you for your patience, your cooperation, and for helping us prove that

One Village really can move a whole lot of Vikings! 💙⚔️

Over the next few weeks, students will participate in MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) benchmarking. You may hear your child talk about taking a MAP assessment at school, so we wanted to share a little about what that means and, more importantly, how we use the information.

MAP is a computer-based assessment that helps teachers understand what students already know, what they are ready to learn next, and where they may need additional support. The assessment adjusts to each student as they work. When a student answers a question correctly, the questions may become more challenging; when a student has difficulty, the assessment adjusts accordingly.

Why do we give MAP?

Think of MAP as a starting point or academic check-in. It gives our teachers another piece of information to help us:

• Identify individual student strengths and areas for growth
• Plan instruction based on student needs
• Create appropriate small groups and supports
• Set learning goals with students
• Monitor academic growth throughout the school year

MAP is not about earning a grade or passing or failing. Students do not need to study for it. We simply want them to get a good night's sleep, come to school ready to learn, take their time, and give their best effort so the results give us an accurate picture of where they are right now.

Students will take MAP at different points throughout the year. This allows us to look beyond one score and ask the question that matters most:

“Is this student growing?”

Every child begins the year in a different place. Our job is to find that starting point, meet them there, and help them continue moving forward.

Thank you for partnering with us as we get to know our students as learners and use data to make the best instructional decisions we can for each of our Vikings!

We are continuing to celebrate Attendance Awareness Month, and this week we want to focus on one simple message:

Every day really does count.

Sometimes it is easy to think, “It’s only one day.” And sometimes missing school simply cannot be avoided. Kids get sick, emergencies happen, and we completely understand that.

What we don't always realize is how quickly those occasional days can begin to add up.

Missing just two days of school each month can put a student on the path toward chronic absence. And for our youngest Vikings especially, being at school isn't only about the work they might miss. They are learning routines, practicing reading and math skills that build from one day to the next, developing friendships, and building relationships with the adults in their school.

That's why we want our Vikings to Stay in the Game!

We aren't looking for perfect attendance at the expense of a child's health. We are asking families to make school attendance a priority whenever their child is healthy and able to attend—and to reach out to us when something is making regular attendance difficult.

Because when your Viking isn't here, we notice.

Their teacher notices.
Their classmates notice.
And their Village misses them.

🏈 Have you taken the Stay in the Game Attendance Pledge yet? Click on the Stay in the Game image and make the commitment together as a family!

💙 One Village. Every Viking. Every Day.

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🚨 IMPORTANT HEALTH OFFICE REMINDER

Families, please make sure your child's required immunization records are up to date and on file with our Health Office.

Beginning Tuesday, September 15, students who are not in compliance with immunization requirements will not be able to remain at school unless one of the following has been completed:

• 💉 Your child has an appointment scheduled to receive the required immunization(s), and documentation of the appointment has been provided.
• 📄 Your child's updated immunization record has been submitted to our Health Office.
• ✅ A completed immunization exemption form has been submitted.

If none of the above has been completed by Tuesday, students who are not in compliance will be sent to the office, and families will be contacted to pick them up.

If this applies to your child, please take care of this as soon as possible so we can avoid any interruption to their school day.

If you have questions about what your child still needs or what documentation to provide, please contact our Health Office. We are happy to help!

You may hear us refer to Title I throughout the school year, but what exactly does that mean?

Title I is a federally funded program designed to provide additional resources and support to schools to help ensure that all students have opportunities to be successful academically. At John Muir, our Title I programming is another way we can support student learning and strengthen the partnership between our school and families.

Throughout the year, we will use this section of our family newsletter to share Title I information, family resources, important notices, and opportunities for families to be involved in their child's education.

📄 Parent's Right to Know

As a family of a student attending a Title I school, you have the right to request information about the professional qualifications of your child's classroom teachers and instructional paraprofessionals.

We are providing our annual Parent's Right to Know information so families are aware of these rights and know how to request additional information if desiredWe value our families as partners in education and want you to feel informed, connected, and involved in your child's learning throughout the school year.

Together, we can help every Viking learn, grow, and succeed!

🚧 A new part of our Viking Village is under construction! 🚧

Coming soon, we're inviting our Vikings to set sail on a new reading adventure every Sunday evening!

Each week, Viking Voyage: Story Sunday will feature someone from our Village sharing a favorite story. You might find a teacher, staff member, Mrs. Randolph, a special guest—or even a mystery reader waiting to read to you!

So grab your pajamas, find your favorite cozy spot, and get ready to set sail...

📖 Our first Viking Voyage is coming soon!

Where will our first story take us—and who will be reading it? 🤫⚔️